FROM THIS EPISODE

The author of Push (on which the film Precious was based), has a new novel, The Kid, told from the point of view of Precious' son, Abdul. Precious has died of AIDS, and her son, aged nine, tells us what his life is about to become. While Sapphire is often known as a taboo breaker and a provocateur, we want to consider her as an artist — not only an African American groundbreaking original, but also a major contributor to the future of the American novel. (Part 1 of a two-part conversation, Part 2 airs August 4.)